Chinese Rice Dishes - Varieties and Menu

China is the world’s largest rice producer, and one of the earliest centers of rice cultivation. For thousands of years, the Chinese people have been diligently cultivating their land for favorable harvests. The agricultural way of life, with rice as the center, has played an important role in China’s history. In the past, people held the belief that the precious things of life are the five grains with rice being number one, instead of pearls or jade.

For the Chinese people, rice is the staple food in everyday meals. They eat it as Westerners do with bread. Rice is cooked by boiling or steaming, till it absorbs as much water as it can.

There is a rich collection of rice dishes in China. Among them, fried rice might be the most popular not only in China, but also around the world. Depending on the types and amount of added ingredients, such as beans, chopped meat, vegetables, eggs, etc., as well as different manners of preparation, there have developed endless variations of fried rice.

Rice may also be made into rice porridge (congee). When cooking porridge, more water than usual is added to make the rice saturated with water and very soft and viscous. It is often served and eaten with pickles, bamboo shoots, salted duck eggs, pickled tofu and many other condiments. Besides a common food on the dining table, rice porridge can also serve as food therapy for the unwell by adding ingredients of therapeutic value.

Rice Dishes Menu

English

Chinese

Pronunciation

Characters

Fried Rice with Beef and Garlic

hēi jiāo xiāng suàn niú liǔ lì chǎofàn

hay jyaoww sshyang swann nyoh lyoh lee chaoww-fan

黑椒香蒜牛柳粒炒饭

Rice with Braised Beef Brisket

hóngshāo niúnǎn fàn

hong-shaoww nyoh-nan fan

红烧牛腩饭

Stewed Beef Rice

hóngshāo niúròu fàn

hong-shaoww nyoh-roh fan

红烧牛肉饭

Rice with Beef

niúròu gài fàn

nyoh-roh geye fan

牛肉盖饭

Fried Rice with Egg, Beef and Green Pepper

qīngjiāo niúròu dàn chǎofàn

ching jyaoww nyoh-roh dan chaoww-fan

青椒牛肉蛋炒饭

Fried Rice with Beef and Lettuce

shēngcài niúròu chǎofàn

shnng-tseye nyoh-roh chaoww-fan

生菜牛肉炒饭

Fried Rice with Minced Beef and BBQ Sauce

shā-chá niú sōng fàn

shaa-chaa nyoh song fan

沙茶牛松饭

Rice with Beef Filet and Hot Green Pepper

háng jiāo niú liǔ fàn

hung jyaoww nyoh lyoh fan

杭椒牛柳饭

Rice with Curry Beef

gālí-niúròu fàn

gaa-lee nyoh-roh fan

咖喱牛肉饭

Rice with Beef and Black Pepper

hēi jiāo niú liǔ fàn

hay jyaoww nyoh lyoh fan

黑椒牛柳饭

Fried Rice with Bacon and Mixed Vegetables

fěicuì péigēn chǎofàn

fay-tsway pay-gnn chaoww-fan

翡翠培根炒饭

Fried Rice with Pork and Black Pepper

hēi jiāo zhūròu fàn

hay jyaoww joo-roh fan

黑椒猪肉饭

Fried Rice with Egg and Sausage

hóng cháng chǎofàn

hong chung chaoww-fan

红肠炒饭

Rice with Fried Spare Ribs

huángjīn dà pái fàn

hwung-jin daa peye fan

黄金大排饭

Fried Rice with Ham

huǒtuǐ chǎofàn

hwor-tway chaoww-fan

火腿炒饭

Fried Rice with Shredded Pork in Soy Sauce

jiàngyóu ròu sī chǎofàn

jiang-yoh roh srr chaoww-fan

酱油肉丝炒饭

Rice with Spare Ribs

jīngdū páigǔ fàn

jing-doo peye-goo fan

京都排骨饭

Fried Rice with Preserved Pork

làròu chǎofàn

laa-roh chaoww-fan

腊肉炒饭

Rice with Meatballs

shīzi tóu fàn

shrr-dzrr toh fan

狮子头饭

Fried Rice with Meat and Vegetables

shíjǐn chǎofàn

shrr jin chaoww-fan

什锦炒饭

Rice with White Gourd and Assorted Meat in Soup

shí jǐn dōngguā lì pàofàn

shrr jin dong-gwaa lee paoww-fan

什锦冬瓜粒泡饭

Steamed Rice with Red-Cooked Pork

lǔ ròu fàn

lyoo roh fan

卤肉饭

Steamed Rice with Pork Slices and Mushrooms

xiān mó zhū liǔ pèi mǐfàn

sshyen mor joo lyoh pay mee-fan

鲜蘑猪柳配米饭

Fried Rice with Pork and Vegetables

qīng yè chǎofàn

ching yeah chaoww-fan

青叶炒饭

Rice with Spare Ribs in Black Bean Sauce

chǐ zhī páigǔ fàn

chrr jrr peye-goo fan

豉汁排骨饭

Rice with Stewed Pork, Taiwan Style

táishì lǔ ròu fàn

teye shrr lyoo roh fan

台式卤肉饭

Rice Cooked with Chicken Soup

jītāng fàn

jee-tung fan

鸡汤饭

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Hǎinán jī fàn

heye-nan jee fan

海南鸡饭

Fried Rice with Diced Chicken, Salted Fish and Shredded Lettuce

Shēngcài sī xián yú jī lì chǎofàn

shnng-tseye srr sshyen yoo jee lee chaoww-fan

生菜丝咸鱼鸡粒炒饭

Rice with Stewed Chicken in Coke

Kělè jī fàn

ker-ler jee fan

可乐鸡饭

Rice with Stewed Chicken Leg

Jītuǐ fàn

jee-tway fan

鸡腿饭

Rice with Chicken and Chili and Pepper

Làzǐ jī fàn

laa dzrr jee fan

辣子鸡饭

Rice with Chicken Giblets

Jiācháng jīzá fàn

jyaa-chung jee dzaa fan

家常鸡杂饭

Rice with Curry Chicken

Gālí jī fàn

gaa-lee jee fan

咖喱鸡饭

Rice with Roasted Eel

Pú shāo mányú fàn

poo shaoww man-yoo fan

蒲烧鳗鱼饭

Fried Rice with Salty Fish and Diced Eggplant

Xián yú jiā lì chǎofàn

sshyen yoo chyeah lee chaoww-fan

咸鱼茄粒炒饭

Rice with Fish Filet in Curry Sauce

Gālí yúpái fàn

gaa-lee yoo-peye fan

咖喱鱼排饭

Rice with Salmon

Sān wèn yú fàn

san wnn yoo fan

三文鱼饭

Fried Rice with Seafood

Hǎi huáng chǎofàn

heye hwung chaoww-fan

海皇炒饭

Fried Rice with Fresh Shrimps

Huó xiā chǎofàn

hwor sshyaa chaoww-fan

活虾炒饭

Rice with Fried Shrimps and Scrambled Egg

Huá dàn xiārén fàn

hwaa dan sshyaa rnn fan

滑蛋虾仁饭

Rice with Codfish in Thai Sauce

Tài zhī yín xuě yú fàn

teye jrr yin sshwair yoo fan

泰汁银雪鱼饭

Fried Rice with Crab Meat

Zhāopái gāo xiè ròu chǎofàn

jaoww peye gaoww sshyeah roh chaoww-fan

招牌羔蟹肉炒饭

Rice with Shrimps in Maggie Sauce

měi jí jiàng ròu xiā fàn

may jee jyang roh sshyaa fan

美极酱肉虾饭

Fried Rice with Assorted Seafood in XO Sauce

XO jiàng hǎixiān dàn chǎofàn

XO jyang heye-sshyen dan chaoww-fan

XO酱海鲜蛋炒饭

Fried Rice with Shrimps

xiārén chǎofàn

sshyaa rnn chaoww-fan

虾仁炒饭

Steamed Rice with Diced Abalone and Scallops

shāguō fùháo mèn fàn

shaa gwor foo hao mnn fan

砂锅富豪焖饭

Eight Delicacies Rice

bābǎofàn

baa-baoww fan

八宝饭

Fried Rice with Egg

jīdàn chǎofàn

jee-dan chaoww-fan

鸡蛋炒饭

Fried Rice with Pickled Vegetables

pàocài chǎofàn

paoww tseye chaoww-fan

泡菜炒饭

Rice in Shredded Vegetable Soup, Shanghai Style

Shànghǎi pāo fàn

shaung-heye paoww fan

上海泡饭

Fried Rice with Vegetables

shūcài chǎofàn

shoo-tseye chaoww fan

蔬菜炒饭

Travel with China Highlights and Taste Authentic Chinese Cuisine

Enjoying Chinese food in a local restaurant

If you are planning a China tour to taste authentic Chinese food, please see our most recommended Chinese food tour below, for inspiration: